


5 Times A Sibling Thanked Klaus

by DragonMarker



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: 5 plus 1 things, Dysfunctional Family, Family Bonding, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Klaus Hargreeves Needs A Hug, No Incest, everything is platonic, i hate that i have to tag that, i just want my children to heal and love eachother, lots of comfort, platonic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-17
Updated: 2020-11-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:42:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27606440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonMarker/pseuds/DragonMarker
Summary: And The One Time He Thanked Them
Relationships: Allison Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves, Ben Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves, Diego Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves, Klaus Hargreeves & Luther Hargreeves, Klaus Hargreeves & Vanya Hargreeves, Number Five | The Boy & Klaus Hargreeves
Kudos: 92





	5 Times A Sibling Thanked Klaus

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so, I tried to keep them all in character and I did my best- if its shit, yell at me in the comments criticism is valued and appreciated. I really did try on this one, and I am pretty proud of it but I'm not super happy with Diego's bit, I love him so much and I just don't think I did his part Justus. But anyways- enjoy and I hope you all like it :)
> 
> also its important to note this is not season 2 compliant, lets just say the concert went well and Vanya didn't blow up the world. No time travel either, sorry bout that :/
> 
> anyways, i hope you all enjoy!

Allisson was pacing back and forth in the living room. Her red pumps clicking mutedly on the rug as she went to and fro. Klaus was sprawled out like a lion on the couch, taking over every inch with his skinny body.

"Klaus, what are you doing here?" She clips. Stopping her pacing and standing in front of her brother, staring down at his chaotic form. "Well I was trying to sleep." He drawls cuddling up to a pillow and pulling it to his bare chest as he repositions himself to lay on his back. He meets her eyes lazily.

"But then you came down here and started pacing." He lets a hand fall off the side of the couch dramatically. "Really _loudly_ too." He adds quietly pulling his hand back up to rub on his eyes. He does that for a moment before he huffs and brings the pillow up to his face with both arms.

Allisson does her own huff before pinching the bridge of her nose. "Can't you take a nap in your own room or something?" She clips.

"Can't _you_ pace in your own room or something?"

Allisson kicks out her hip and crosses her arms staring down more intensely at her uninterested brother who continues to cuddle his pillow. She leans down and wrestles the thing out of his grip with one hand opposed to his two- which is a challenge she triumphantly completes. Blame it on his scrawny arms.

She gives him a smirk before she tosses it across the room. It silently hits the window before the floor. Klaus reaches out pathetically. "Why would you do that?" He mopes. He turns a betrayed gaze to her that Allisson dismisses with an eye roll. Big green eyes peer helplessly and pathetically up at her. She feels little sympathy.

"Now you're free to sleep in your room." She hisses. Klaus slowly pulls himself to leaning on his elbows, dragging on the action as long as possible. He stared at Allisson with dead eyes for a moment. Peeling apart her being with his dead stare. Right as she was about to tell him to fuck off he spoke.

"Where's Claire?" He finally asked.

Allisson choked on air for a moment.

Allisson wanted to strangle him right then but she was too shocked to do so. She quickly wiped it off her features as the asshole deserved no such satisfaction. Instead she let her tongue click at the roof of her mouth. “Not that it’s any of your business but, her computer broke and my ex refuses to download Zoom or Skype on either of his devices to let us chat.”

Klaus hummed thoughtfully before falling dramatically back onto the couch, bouncing slightly as his weight landed. Allison turned her head to face the window. She couldn’t hide the irritation in her voice and found her emotions swelling up again. It was so frustrating. 

She just wanted to see her daughter, was that too much to ask? After everything that had happened, didn’t she at least deserve that?

“You should let me talk to him.” Her head instantly snapped back to her brother on the couch. His voice had pulled her from her trance and his words were impossibly stupid, even for him. “What?” She barked. She couldn’t help her cynical tone. Klaus, keeping his eyes shut, responded like he was talking about the weather and not Allison's’ _daughter_. 

“Yeah, maybe Uncle Klaus can talk some sense into him. We all want to meet her after all.” He waved his hand around in the air like he was casually stating what he had for breakfast yesterday. Eggs her mind supplied, but she shook the thought away and pulled her attention back to the present.

“No offense, but I don’t really think thats a good idea. You’re not exactly…” She trailed off uncertain of the word to use, she wasn't afraid to use an offensive word. It was just a matter of choosing which one to use on Klaus.

She loved her brother, she did. She also knew her brother. He was loud and bubbly, he talked a lot to dance around certain subjects, and made excuses and lies as easily as one breathed. He also has an undeniable talent to tick a person off. He knows the exact words to irritate a person and hits them with the aim of a trained archer, never missing the mark.

Klaus sat up, this time all the way, swinging his legs over the edge of the couch and leaning forward resting his head in his palms. He looked at her, waiting for her to finish with a raised brow. Allison tossed her hand around her face. “You know.” She finished only to receive a snort in return. She looked up with a slightly guilty expression.

A flash of hurt crossed her brother's face but before she could comment it was gone and replaced with a lopsided grin and words were tumbling from his lips. “I might be very convincing. You should let me try. Worst case scenario you wait for her computer to get fixed.” This time Allison snorted. Before mulling over his words.

It was _true._ She still wasn’t happy with the idea though. 

Klaus, talking to her ex. That just sounded like a bad formula. One Five would conceive and blow up the entire house. Two chemicals that were never supposed to mix but, he wasn’t wrong and it couldn’t hurt to try… _right?_

She huffed a sigh, pinching her brow. “Fine, just let me just pull up his contact.” She didn’t even try to hide the tiredness and defeat in her voice. Who knew Klaus would be her last hope for something like this, something regarding contacting her child? She pulled out her phone and scrolled, pretending to ignore her brother's clapping and eager face from the corner of her eye.

“I’m not gonna mess up, can it Casper.” She heard him hiss, she glanced up skeptically trying not to reconsider what she was doing _too_ much. He was probably talking to Ben but it was still weird and off putting to watch your thirty year old brother talk to thin air.

Finally she pulled up the contact, and pressed _call_ before she could think too much about it, passing the phone to her brother who bound to his feet and skipped to her side, swiping the phone from her hands and pressing it to his ear.

Anxiety welled in her stomach. What if this somehow went wrong and she could never see or talk to Claire again? Could Klaus screw something up that mu- no, don't think down that line of thought. Logically, she knew that wouldn’t happen and what Klaus said _was_ likely the worst case scenario _._ But as she watched him stumble out of the room and into the hallway she couldn’t help the uneasiness bubbling through her chest and to her throat. Logical thoughts didn’t stop the fidgeting in her hands or keep her eyes from continuously glancing to the clock awaiting her brother's return. 

Time seemed to lag on forever, and what was most likely ten minutes seemed like ten hours. But eventually Klaus emerged from the hallway, her phone in his hand waving it around his head as a greeting and broad smile on his lips. Instantly her anxiety vanished and relief took control. “What happened? What did he say? Can I talk to her now?” The questions burst before she could think to stop them.

Klaus tutted her off but the smile didn’t leave his lips as he sauntered over and dropped the phone into her open palm. “Tomorrow at noon, get on skype and there should be a call for you on his phone.” Allison smiled, she didn’t have the words- _how?_

“ _Thank you_.” She breathed out, unable to say anything more. Klaus just smiled, waved a peace sign and fell face first back onto the couch. “ ‘Kay I helped, can you pace in your room now and leave me to my nap.”

And Allison happily complied, typing in her noon schedule for tomorrow and leaving the room. Her mood instantly lifted. Her brother snoring in the living room.

* * *

Luther huffed a sigh. Today was not a good day.

Diego threw a knife that was still embedded into the wood of the wall, which was an amazing feat- enough to pull Luther from his slumber three hours before his designated wake up time. He had attempted to help pull the knife out. Instead of unlodging it from the wall he pulled back with a sliced palm because, _of course_ Diego used a double edged knife when he decided to vandalize the house. Not to mention the fact that despite his bleeding palm, a sign of his efforts, the knife was still in the wall. Then came the encore of incompetent insults. 

The only thing out of place with that though was when Klaus sprawled himself along the hand rail on the stairs and defended him. Albeit slightly rude but the defense was still there.

"Aw, Dee, you better lay off him a bit. You don't want to make the big old number one sad." His tone was that of a patronizing whiny child, but Diego backed off and Luther would take it. Well he would take it after shooting Klaus a glare. He got a baffled pretense of innocence in return. Klaus continued to linger on the stairs though, bright pink boa nearly sliding off his shoulders, his see-through black shirt making it pop out on his pasty pale skin. Luther did his best not to roll his eyes at his brothers choice of outfit.

The next fantastic event was walking up the stairs and passing his brother to clean up his hand only to find out that Allisson occupied the nearest one. He had to trek around to find the next closest one with a bleeding hand. It wasn't the pain that bothered him, no, he could hardly feel that. It was the blood dribbling from it and dropping onto the floor. He put his other hand below the wounded one to prevent that. After a good ten minute walk he found the next bathroom.

He walked in, only for five to pop up beside him and ask him a question in a language he wasn't even sure was spoken on earth, or the moon at that. He gave his best  _ 'I have no idea how to help you, let me bandage my bleeding hand' _ face. Five rolled his eyes and glowered before spitting out something about everyone in the house being utterly useless before he blinked again and left Luther alone. He stayed still for a moment with his mouth open before he decided, screw it, let Five be Five, pulled the tap and let his hand sit under the stream of water.

Once he had it wrapped and bandaged he tumbled down the stairs and back to the living room where he threw himself on the couch letting out a tired sigh.

What a morning.

Across from him he saw Vanya flinch. He didn't even see her. He instantly threw out an apology, his big eyes drooping in an apologetic gaze. "Sorry Vanya."

"It's fine." She eased, sitting stiffly as she waved him off with a smile. It didn't go unnoticed that her hands were turning white on the book she clenched. Which was reasonable, he had locked her in a basement prison room which more than likely brought on unwanted memories. He knew his company was unwelcome and he pulled himself up and left the room. He tried to pretend he didn't hear the puff of air Vanya let out when he exited. It hurt, he wouldn’t lie, but it was still a reasonable concern on her end and he could understand that.

He clenched his unharmed fist in irritation of himself. Why was he utterly useless to all his siblings? Or rather, why was he just in general a horrible brother?

Diego and him had never gotten along, they had a rivalry since birth, each of them thinking the other was the scum of the earth. 

Luther and Allisson were close but she was married- divorced, his mind corrected, but still she was going through a lot he could never hope to comprehend.

As he stated before, he locked Vanya in a basement prison cell but he can't say he was exactly nice to her before that either. Her fear was well fueled.

Five. Five was an _asshole_ , so that wasn't _all_ him. He was always so prideful and full of himself going off on smart things with words he couldn't understand and then blinking away in a moment.

And Klaus, well he always assumed the worst. Especially when he brushed everything off like it was dust in the wind. He was easy to insult. Almost like he had a shiny red target on his face. A sign taped to his back that read  _ ‘go on, make fun off me, I don’t care! Or at least I wont to your face!’  _ And Luther took advantage of it.

He was never good to any of them. Opting to follow, Reginald, of all the dickwads, instead.

So that's how he found himself, sitting alone in the courtyard. Reginald's favorite place. The person he idolized for the better part of his life, the scapegoat he used for all his disgraceful acts. The person he sucked up to  _ for years  _ before he realized that everyone was gone, that he hurt them all, that Luther, himself, wasn’t much better than the old man himself.

“You brooding out here?”

Luther looks up from the ground where he had been pointedly staring and  _ thinking _ . He didn’t brood. “What do you want Klaus?” He cuts to the chase and, isn’t this how the whole thinking situation started? With Luther's harsh words, his uncaring actions towards his family.

“Right to the chase then. Believe it or not, I don’t always want something.” He swings his hands out flamboyantly, letting his skirt twist as he walks closer to Luther. Luther's first reaction is to say  _ ‘bullshit’  _ but he stops himself. “Did you ditch the boa?” He asks instead.  _ Be nicer, _ he reprimands himself. 

“Oh, you noticed? It got a little… Constricting. And Allison wanted to borrow it for her Zoom call with Claire.” Luther nodded, letting his gaze drift back to the gravel under his shoes as Klaus seated himself uncomfortably close to him on the bench. After a moment he heard Klaus start talking again.

“You should join them, Allison really wants you to meet Claire and Claire really wants to meet you.” He feels boney arms drape across his, admittedly, large shoulders. Luther perks up. Claire. He had heard so much about the little angel. Wanted to meet her as soon as he heard the news. Would she really let him intrude on her time with her daughter though? Would he even be wanted? He let his hopeful eyes fall and redirected them back to the ground.

“I don’t think Allison would want me to intrude.”

“Oh, don’t be like that. I’m sure they'd be overjoyed!”

“Are you sure?” Luther looks to Klaus, uncertainty dancing in his eyes. He wants to go, he wants to go so bad. “Absolutely!” Klaus nods, pulling himself away from his shoulders and pointing to the door. “I’d go now, she’s just setting up in the kitchen.” Luther nods and pulls himself up. Might as well go see, the day can’t get any worse.

With one quick glance around the courtyard he builds up the courage before looking down at Klaus man-spreading on the bench in his skirt. “Thanks.” He comments before diverting his eyes and heading in. It’s by far not the most unsettling position he’s seen Klaus in but it’s still mildly unsettling for his eyes. The most unsettling position he’s seen Klaus in starred a lot less clothes and a yoga video back when they were sixteen. He shut his eyes before he could remember and walked back into the house.

And hey, Klaus was right. Allison really wanted him to join her call and too meet Claire. And it was just what he needed to pull his spirits back up. He smiled into the camera at his little niece, before turning to Allison and smiling too. She smiled back, a soft and caring smile.

* * *

Starting the apocalypse was pretty good nightmare fuel.

Images of disassembled family members scattered across the floor was something that would startled anyone. Especially when you found their blood on your hands as you look down. An overwhelming amount of guilt layed itself along Vanya's shoulders as she startled out of sleep.

Heavy puffs of air left her lips as she scrambled at her sheets to ground herself. 

_They prevented it, the world didn't end. She didn't end the world._ Slowly she could breathe again. The images of her siblings bodies still flashing in her mind but she knew it wasn't true. They were fine.  They were fine.

She was fine.

Still Vanya knew she had no chances of falling back asleep anytime soon.

So with a heavy sigh she pealed her blanket away, tucked her feet into some slippers and, wrapped her shoulders in her fluffiest robe and hunkered down the stairs to the living room. Book in hand. She was prepared to sit there until daylight reading and calming herself down.

A glance at the nearest clock told her that it would be a while too.

So settling herself down on the nearest couch she pried open the books paper pages, flicked on the nearest lamp and began to read. Sinking deep into the books world.

A startling _thump_ pulled her from her pages not long after though. It sounded like someone fell down the stairs. A glance at the bottom of the stair case told her she was right.  A small gasp passed through her lips as she put her book aside. "Oh my god, Klaus are you alright?" She fretted over to his side.

He stuck his hand strait up, giving her a thumbs up as he mumbled into the floor, "Just peachy Van." She kneeled beside him placing her hands out not quite sure what to do.

Slowly he detached his face from the hardwood and sat up on his knees. "Are you hurt?" Vanya asked, still hovering.  He rubbed the back of his neck and gave a sleepy pained groan. He shook his head no after a moment. Vanya let herself relax a little. She didn't quiet know how falling down the stairs wouldn't hurt.

"That's good, how about I go and make us some tea? Maybe that will help a bit." She said anyways.

She rushed to stand and made her way into the kitchen, acutely aware that Klaus seated himself at the table in there. If the scraping wood and whine when she flicked on a nearby light were anything to go by.

"Why'd you turn the fucking light on. That's the reason I fell down the stairs I'll have you know. The light you had on scared the shit out of me." Klaus complained. "It threw me off." He mumbled annoyed. Vanya flicked the electric kettle on.  "I'm sorry." She said instantly glancing behind her at her brother. 

He flicked his hand around, waving her off. "It's fine, but I'm definitely awake now." Vanya winced sympathetically. And pulled out two mugs.

Klaus propped his head up. "That blue ones Luther's." He said. Vanya let out and 'oh' and moved to put it back and grab a new one. 

"No don't put it back, I just don't want you to use it." 

Vanya halted her movement and looked back at Klaus again.

"You want to face his wrath?" She arched a brow and an impish grin spread along Klaus face. That was her answer and his demise then. She let out a breathy laugh and set the cup back down as the kettles done switch flicked off. She pulled it off the heater and poured it into the cups. The warm water let off steam as it pooled in the mugs.

"Mint, Peppermint or, Ginger?" She asked glancing at the Tea packets. She grabbed a ginger for herself. Silently she dropped her tea bag in the mug. 

"Ah, those all suck." Klaus whined. Vanya rolled her eyes. "Do you want just plain hot water?"

"Though I'm flattered you would offer, I guess I'll take Mint." He went silent for a moment. "They all taste the same anyways."

Vanya mocked an offended gasp placing a hand to her chest before dropping it and plucking a Mint tea bag for her brother. 

"It's true, I know."

Vanya huffed a laugh bringing the cups over to him. She took the seat across from him. Klaus sat up more and took a sip from the blue mug. He let out a contented noise. Vanya took a sip of her own letting the heat trail down her throat. It was soothing.

She set her mug down and fixed a gaze on Klaus. "You sure you're alright?" She asked tentatively.

Klaus nodded rapidly, waving her off again. "No broken jaw." He giggled. Vanya let a smile slip at his words and mumbled out a _'good'_.  She took another sip of tea. 

"What were you doing up anyways?"

He took a sip of tea to follow. "I could ask you the same thing, mein sister." He said after he gulped it down. Vanya let her eyes fall onto her cup of tea. The murky flavorful water played her distorted reflection back.  She let her eyes stare for a moment, getting lost in the reflection. 

Her nightmare played on loop in her mind.

Luther's body lay on the floor partially crushed by a building as blood seeped out below him. Klaus was sprawled out in an isle his body laying carelessly as his neck was snapped in a distorted way. Five hung limp over a railing as his head was seeping blood from a gash spanning from his ear to eye. Allisson throat gushed red as the wound Vanya had previously caused reopened. Diego sat in one of the theatre chairs with one of his own knives piercing him through the heart from behind. Vanya was the cause of it all, her violin shaking the buildings walls.

She squeezed her eyes shut. She could feel Klaus curious gaze on her. She opened her eyes and took a sip of tea again, the cup was nearly empty, when had that happened? The liquid burned her throat this time.

"I couldn't sleep." She said. Klaus hummed and brought the mug to his lips. Setting it down with a clank after. "Want to talk about it?" He asked softly.

For all it was worth Vanya couldn't help but feel endeared and fuzzy. Klaus, of all her brothers, had offered to help comfort her. For all his shits and giggles mentality and stupid actions he was still sitting at a table at god knows how late, or rather early, spending time with her.

"Never thought you'd be one to offer me comfort." She jokingly prodded with a half smile. 

"Well stranger things have happened. Yesterday I saw Diego and Luther talking, they didn't even argue or anything. They just spoke to each other like normal humans. It was wild. I had to pinch myself like eight times to believe it."

He threw his hands out dramatically. Vanya laughed. Klaus had that effect. He shot her a toothy grin. She swished her mug around, thinking for the right words.

Klaus seemed to sensed her change in mood and waited. "I just had a nightmare." She finally said. "A really bad one." She added after a pause. Her brother nodded solemnly when she looked up. "It just really threw me off." His smile turned to a crooked frown.

"One good thing about nightmares." Her brother started. "Is that they end. You wake up. And even if it's still scary and the nightmare still bothers you, it cant physically hurt you unless you let it." Vanya stared at her brother. He ran his finger around the rim of his cup avoiding eye contact.

"Think about it. The only time dreams really get to us is if we dwell on them. And the more we think about them the more power they have over us. Sometimes that can be good motivation but other times it can drag you down a deep hole. So my advise is to ignore it to you're best abilities. Or think of something better. Like Moi." 

Vanya was shocked into stunned silence. She let it pass before a beat before she let out a laugh. A loud bubbly sound pulled from her core, fueled by the estranged sheepish look her brother was giving her.

"When did you get so wise? Are those words Bens or something?" She giggled when he huffed and crossed his arms leaning back in the chair. He Shot a glare to an empty space beside him. Further proving that they were indeed, Bens words.

"Well, either way. Thank you." She smiled shaking her head. "Ben or, and, Klaus." Klaus puffed out his chest like a proud three year old. And let a goofy grin plaster across his face.

She let out a yawn. Maybe she could get some sleep after all. "Well that's enough heart to heart." He puffed. "Besides you look tired. Better get your ass back to bed missy." He stood up taking their cups and ushering her out of the kitchen and up the stairs. She went without complaint, smiling fondly to herself.

She stopped for a moment, hands grasping the door frame of the kitchen exit. "What if I can't ignore it?" She asks hesitantly, not turning around.

She hears a dish being set down and silence follows for a moment. "You have six sibling Vanya, I'm sure on of us will listen to you." 

That puts a smile on her face, soothing the last of her doubts and jumbled nerves from the night. She has six siblings that care about her now. "Thank you Klaus." She responds with a yawn before leaving and heading for he bed. A sudden tiredness crashing over her in waves.

Vanya woke up to Luther screaming in the basement about his favorite cup being dirty. She laughed to herself as she heard Klaus fall out of his bed down the hall when Luther busted his door down.

* * *

Five wasn't sick. He didn't get  _ sick _ . 

He spent forty five years in an apocalyptic wasteland-like future and he never once got sick. His dear old dad made sure they got every kind of shot to prevent getting sick. And even if they did there was no special treatment, Five never got sick so it didn't matter.

So this cough and sneeze fest was not a cold. It _ wasn't _ .

He hacked his lungs into a tissue as soon as Allisson left the room and he was alone. If one more person points out how pale he is he's going to string them up on a laundry line and gut them while they hang. 

He. Is. _ Fine _ . 

He's not pale, or ' _ a human ice cube _ ' as Diego put it so kindly, he's just dandy alright? And he's beyond done with everyone asking him if he's good. 

"Well, don't you look like shit." Five spins on his heel to see Four standing on the stairs halfway to Five. Five has to use every muscle in his being not to growl in irritation. Instead he forces himself to bite out a reply.

"Yeah well out of everyone, you don't get to say that." He gestured vaguely to Klaus' outfit and his general being. The other mocks a face of offense before sauntering down the rest of the steps as if to counter Fives words. If anything it backs them up when he almost trips over the fluffy pink scarf draping off his shoulders.

He hides his snicker as he turns and heads to the kitchen, not necessarily eager to spend more time in Klaus company. 

To Fives dismay Klaus follows him there.

"You should really get some rest." He flings himself across the nearest counter, sprawling out across it and hiking up his ass. Five doesn't know what to pull a face at, Fours words or actions. "Get off. You're going to contaminate the counter. Nobody wants whatever diseases you might be carrying." Five opened the fridge blocking Klaus from sight. The light inside scalds his eyes and makes his brain scream at him. He ignores it. He also ignores the spiking shiver the cold sends down his spine.

"Despite popular belief I've been clean for a month." This time Five does snort. He instantly regrets it when he shuts the fridge and real sadness crosses across his brothers face. It's only for a moment before his normal demeanor is back, a little too quickly for Five to keep up with. His head is still reeling from the light inside the fridge and he has to rapidly blink to see clearly again.

"You should  _ really _ get some rest though, if you don't this little," he gestured grandly at Five, who's lungs at that exact moment decided to protest and cause him to keel over coughing. "Will get worse".

Five glares murder at Klaus as he's bent over at the waist. The position not at all dampening the glare's effect. Klaus puts his hands up in surrender. "Out of all of us, I'd know." He offers. "I'm the only one dear old dad didn't inject with every vaccine."

Which was true. Five considered his words as he rose up back to his thirteen year old body's height. Klaus was the only one of them who really got sick, but Five wasn't sick. He wasn't. He just woke up not feeling great today. It would be gone tomorrow.

"I'm fi-"

"I'm the only one here you won't fool with that line." Klaus interjects now leaning against the counter with his back and peeling a banana. "Ben says you're full of shit too." He pops a piece of the food into his mouth.

"Were those his exact words."

Klaus picks idly at the skin of the banana and chews for a bit before replying. "No." And turning his attention back to Five.

Five would've said something snarky if his nose didn't decide to make him sneeze right then. He launched forward instantly burying his nose in his elbow. 

_ Ew _ . 

He pulled back not giving Klaus the luxury of Five seeing his  _ 'So you still think you're right'  _ face. Five could feel it on his back though and he wanted nothing more than to skin him in that moment. "Say a word and I'll make you still as stone." He threatens.

He heard Klaus huff a sigh. "I can't make you do anything." The shuffle behind Five told him Klaus was getting up to go. "But just so you know it's seventy degrees in here and you've got goosebumps." He leered in Fives face as he passed out the exit. Five swatted at his face as he spit the words out and left.

Five stood there for a few more minutes, not because his brain was trying to implode on him. No, he stood there because he was plotting Fours murder. Which was difficult to do when it felt like your brain was going to drain out of your ears and nose. But Five thinks he came up with a pretty full proof plan of disposal.

He teleported into Klaus' room to make it reality, but was unpleasantly surprised to see it empty. He gave an aggravated sigh, before a tickle in his throat decided that it didn't like that and had him coughing desperate for air.

"Hey, be a dear and spread your germs in your room not mine." Five slowly turned around still coughing his lungs out. He coughed some more but glared at his brother through it. Klaus came closer and patted him on the back as Five choked up his organs into the air. As soon as he could breathe again he shrugged Klaus off. Muttering profanities under his breath.

"I don't have germs." He mentally cursed his raspy throat. Before he sneezed in his arm. His head seemed to lag behind his body for a moment as he pulled back. Klaus raised his eyebrows. If Five kept glaring his eyes were going to get stuck. His eyelids already felt heavy as lead.

"I drew a hot bath. Figured you'd be here." He threw himself on his bed and Five watched as Four picked up a magazine from the bedside dresser drawer and flipped through. Five continued to glower at him. Five hated that he really wanted that hot bath. He shivered despite himself.

Klaus dramatically turned a page and looked over the magazine. He shot his eyes to the bathroom door as if to say _'go on'_ , and, _'your welcome'_. Five huffed and stalked over to the door entrance before he stopped. He couldn't exactly say why he stopped, but he did.

"I didn't poison the water." Klaus calls, Five rolls his eyes when the bed creaks. "And I know you really want a warm bath. Trust me it's the best when you feel all grimy and sick. You're gonna want a nap after too." He continued to call long after Five began to walk again and stepped into the small but gracious bathroom. 

He didn't even bother to deny he was sick this time because when he sunk into the warm water all he could feel was the relief crashing over him. His head instantly stopped hating him so much and the constant throb in his skull toned down to a dull ache. His goosebumps disappeared and he no longer felt as cold. He was also pleasantly surprised when the pressure on his lungs loosen and he felt like he could breathe easier. A content sigh dragged itself from his lips.

The warm water felt heavenly.

"Thank you Klaus." He mumbled under his breath as he sunk deeper into the water and closed his eyes. Maybe being sick wasn't as bad as he chalked it up to be.

* * *

Diego stumbles into the house at one in the morning. No one is up and he doesn't expect them to be. He  _ tries _ to be quiet as he falls through the bathroom window on the second floor but he's bleeding out from his stomach so the first aid kit is a little more important than Luther's beauty sleep. No matter how pissed he might be the next day.

He clutches his stomach letting out a little moan of pain before hissing and biting his lip. _ Well damn _ if the bitch didn't really twist the knife in there. The red flows between his fingers, sticky and wet. He tries not to look too long. It's actually pretty gross. He focuses on his footing instead. One foot in front of the other.

He almost falls over as he props himself up against the wall instead of the floor. Pushing his weight against the wall, he rises to his feet. The stab wound bites in protest but he gets the deed done and soon he's leaning forward and slipping to grasp the sink countertop. He leans heavily against it letting out a warped cry of agony he does his best to keep in his throat.

Of all his injuries, why was  _ this one _ being a pain in the ass? He's been stabbed before but for whatever reason this one was being an absolute pain, fucking bitch. Or maybe it was the fact he had people he had to be silent for. Back in the boiler room he could hiss and cry in agony with no one to witness it. Here wasn’t the same. No need for Luther to know of his injury and decide to elbow him in the gut the next day- which had happened after a mission once,  _ thank you very much _ . His fear was warranted.

Leaning all his weight on the leg furthest from his bleeding side, he sucked in a sharp breath, squeezed his eyes shut, and pulled the other leg up and closer to the sink. He let out a bitter pained laugh as he put all his weight on the sink and brought forth the last leg, huffing in pain for a moment as speckles of yellow and white invaded his vision. Fun stuff.

Next task; open the sink mirror and pull out the first aid kit.

One would think the task be easy, but given the circumstances and how much of an utter ordeal getting inside on the second floor was, let alone the walk to the house, Diego had very low hopes. He had to steal his nerves and grit his teeth as he leaned onto the edge of the porcelain sink and stretched his other arm out to grab at the mirror that pulled open, in turn pulling on the aching wound at his side. His breath hitched but he kept his teeth clamped as he trudged on. Pulling the mirror back he fumbled with the items inside. To say it was cluttered was an absolute understatement. In fact, it may be the understatement of the century. 

All the shelves inside the compartment were filled to the brim with useless crap, the first aid kit buried somewhere deep within.

He let out an irritated noise amongst his throbbing pain.

But a thud paused all his actions. A thud from down the hall that sounded like a person falling. Small taps of feet soon followed and before Diego could react the bathroom door was busted open and in its wake stood Klaus. 

Klaus who looked like death warmed over, heavy bags falling under his eyes and cheeks exceptionally gaunt. Diego was paused reaching into the mirror, blood pooling down from his side and leaking through his fingers. What the  _ fuck _ was happening? 

"Klaus what are you doing up?" He hissed, still unmoving from his frozen position.

"What are  _ you _ doing with a stab wound at one in the morning Dee?"

Which,  _touché_ , but still. "I met this bitch on the street from my old cop days. Wasn't too pleased at the reunion." Which was true, he had arrested her for an armed robbery in a gas station about five years ago, after she got a three year sentence and probation. One could reasonably see why she was unhappy. Not to mention he wasn’t even a cop when he _‘arrested’_ her. And he might have tried to give her a longer sentence because he knew the guy that worked there and happened to enjoy his deli sandwiches a lot and didn't want him to keel over dead anytime soon. So there was that too.

He had been hoping to get her five years.

“She must know you well.” Klaus teased as he sauntered further into the bathroom, brushing Diego's reaching hand away. Diego glared. “Asshole.” He retorted. Klaus snorted. His hair shook at the action, messy unkempt curls absolutely basking in the ugly yellow glow of overhanging light. Diego did his best to ignore the prominent black and purple bags hanging under his brother's eyes that were most definitely not caused by mascara not whipping off.

“Yeah, yeah, I know.” He watched as Klaus waved an off hand to the air beside him. Diego had half a mind to know the words weren’t directed at him. “Is uh, Ben here?” He asked hesitantly and sheepishly. Klaus gave a short sharp laugh. “When’s he not. Idiot haunts me like a bad hair day.”

Before he knew it Klaus was shoving him down onto the toilet, Diego tried to protest by leaning forward against his gentle hands. “Hey, no.” Klaus pushed him a little more forcefully. “I’m not a baby Klaus.” Diego hissed. “And I’m not the most beautiful person in the room.” Klaus said gesturing grandly to himself, sarcasm dripping off his words like water on rubber. 

“I think that's the most correct thing you’ve said all night.” He got a glare in return.

“And here I am trying to help you.” Klaus tuts as he grabs the first aid kit from the counter where he had placed it after brushing Diego's hand away. At that moment Diego's injury decided to scream a little harder at him and he winced. “You know it's okay to show you’re in pain, who am I going to tell? Ben?”

Diego ignored his words and instead watched as his brother took his knife harness off and lifted his shirt. “What are you even doing up Klaus?” He asked when his slim hands began to drag a wet paper towel along his stomach, cleaning the wound. “Oh, you know me.” He said letting his hands waver around. “Sleep for an hour here, sleep for an hour there. Stay up all night.” Diego did know, he also knew that Klaus danced around things and brushed them off a little easier than the rest of them. 

“This is going to hurt.” He said gently, hand on Diego’s shoulder, the other hand holding a sewing needle. Diego nodded, this wasn’t his first rodeo, except it was normally Klaus he was patching up after a bad hit, OD, or just beat up.

“You can squeeze Ben's hand if you like, I can make him corporeal for up to five minutes pretty easily and that's all this should take if you don't squirm.” 

Ben. 

Diego nodded. He missed Ben. By far his favorite brother. He loved Klaus and he had known Klaus much longer due to unfortunate circumstances of many kinds, but Ben would always be his favorite. Klaus smiled knowingly and soon his hands were glowing blue, adding to the harsh yellow light in the small bathroom. “Feel free to make noise.” Was the last thing Klaus said before he plunged the needle into his skin and a very cold, very blue, hand reached into his.

He let his eyes drift up to meet his other brothers. 

Bens. 

Ben smiled down at him from where he stood.  _ “Feel free to squeeze as hard as you like, I wont feel it. Or tell Luther.”  _ He winked and smiled, and Diego couldn’t help but smile back, even as he felt the needle continue to dip into his flesh and weave out again. He’d seen Ben before, seen him during a teary reunion not long after they stopped the _Apocalypse-That-Wasn’t,_ but it was still enchanting to Diego each time Klaus made him appear.

“All done.” Klaus pulled back, blood staining his fingertips and smiled. All too soon Ben whispered  _ “It was good to see you, again.” _ And then Diego couldn’t see him. As Klaus wrapped the gauze around his stomach he didn’t know what to be more thankful for, the stitch job or getting to see Ben again. Either way he was thankful. Phantom cold fingers still etched into his hand by memory.

“Goodnight Klaus.” Diego smiled as Klaus eased him onto his bed. In the dark he saw his brother smile back. “Night Dee. Be sure to rest up, no vigilante stuff for a while, okay.” Diego nodded. “Yeah, yeah.” Before he knew it though, Diego was holding up the covers with an arm and looking to Klaus before he could retreat out of the room. Klaus looked at him quizzically.

“Well, aren’t you going to climb in?” He huffed like it was a reluctant choice to let his insomniac brother stay in his room for the night when, in fact, Diego wanted him there.

Instantly Diego saw Klaus's  green eyes light up as he bounced over to him and clambered under the blankets next to him. Diego let the blankets fall and shut his eyes, Klaus gently humming next to him. Just like old times when Klaus would have a nightmare and sneak into his room for a sleep in peace. 

Yeah, Diego missed that even if he would never admit to it. 

"Thanks Klaus." Diego mumbled, half lidded by sleep, as his eyes tumbled shut.

There was still a dull ache in his side but there was also the scrawny form of his brother hogging all the heat and blankets too, and he wouldn't trade it for the world. Some how he knew Ben was watching over the two of them too.


End file.
